basketball purple front

Chapter 16 A "Casual Encounter" on the Streets of America

One day in early October, a tall boy with a handsome face got off the plane. He was carrying a simple travel bag and walked slowly towards the exit of the airport.

And this handsome boy is Tang Qian.

Recalling the scenes a few days ago, Tang Qian felt extremely unreal, as if everything was a dream.

With the help of Li Qiuping, Tang Qian boarded the flight to the United States before the basketball association came.

Li Qiuping has already told him about the consequences of this departure. If he fails to succeed in the United States, the possibility of returning to China to play will be completely blocked.Therefore, this is tantamount to a gamble for Tang Qian's basketball career.

But Tang Qian still accepted it.

Because in his heart, he was unwilling to compromise.

Since he doesn't want to, he can only go abroad to play as Li Qiuping said.

After all, no matter how good "some people" are, they can't reach the United States.

What's more, Tang Qian is not a player "in the system", so Li Qiuping's arrangement is undoubtedly extremely feasible.

"This is Los Angeles, the city of angels in California, USA. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen."

A series of English messages at the airport told Tang Qian that he had come to a new and completely unfamiliar country.

When Tang Qian got on the plane, he once sent a text message to Tang's father. He knew that his family would know about such an uproarious matter sooner or later, so his decision should be taken for granted, and they should also know about it.

But he dared not call.

"It's decided, then do it, don't worry about things at home."

Father Tang's reply was very simple, neither sensational nor sad, as if he had just received an ordinary text message from Tang Qian.

But when Tang Qian received it, his heart still trembled violently.

However, he did not hesitate, and still stepped on the flight to Los Angeles, USA step by step.

No one came to pick him up. If he wanted to go to the place that Li Qiuping arranged for him, he had to contact him after arriving in the United States.

Americans are largely independent and, of course, very busy.

Walking out of Los Angeles Airport, Tang Qian touched his pocket, and suddenly, he froze in place.

gone?
The note that Li Qiuping gave him disappeared.

Tang Qian searched all over his body quickly, but it was still the same, and found nothing.

lost?
On the note was the address and number that Li Qiuping asked him to contact the other party, but it disappeared suddenly, which made Tang Qian stunned.

What should we do now?
Tang Qian was stunned for a few seconds, and then laughed at himself: "Could this be the legendary 'disadvantaged'? Is my character so bad?"

After mocking himself for a while, Tang Qian began to carefully recall the contents of that note.

I can't remember the phone number, so what about other information?

Tang Qian was thinking hard while walking aimlessly. He didn't know how long it took, but he finally remembered something.

It seems to be, Toyota Center?No, no, that's the Rockets' home court.Um?what is that?Toyota Center Sports?
Yes, yes!It's Toyota Sports Center!
After remembering the approximate address, Tang Qian's heart finally fell. It doesn't matter if he doesn't have a number. As long as he can find the place, he can find the person Li Qiuping asked him to find.

Tang Qian only had one thousand dollars on him, which was given to him by Li Qiuping when he was leaving. Li Qiuping had served as an assistant coach and president assistant in the NBA for a period of time, so he still knew some "celebrities" in the basketball circle in the United States. .

After Tang Qian remembered his destination, he was going to find a taxi to go there, but he didn't expect that American drivers also "trick people and rip people off". Tang Qian just asked about the distance, and the other party "exaggerated" that the distance from Los Angeles Airport was very special. Far, Tang Qian insisted on a few hundred dollars.Tang Qian is not a fool. Although he has never been to the United States himself, some classmates in his school have traveled here. He remembers that taxis in Los Angeles cost about 2-3 US dollars to get in, and then pay according to the time and mile of the ride. At the beginning, the lion opened his mouth, asking himself how many hundred dollars?
a few hundred dollars?Do you think I'm a fat sheep?Let you kill me foolishly?
Tang Qian clearly remembered that Li Qiuping said before coming here that this place is not too far from Los Angeles Airport. Since it is not too far, why do you need a few hundred dollars?Tang Qian looked at the taxi driver with contempt, and closed the door angrily.

But after watching the taxi leave, he began to regret it again.

The United States is not like China, where taxis run all over the place. Most people here book a taxi in advance or charter a taxi. So after the taxi left, Tang Qian waited for half an hour without seeing it again. next car.

At this time, the benefits of domestic characteristics are highlighted. Tang Qian walked on the streets of Los Angeles, seeing that it was getting late, but there was nothing he could do.He also thought about taking a ride, but he didn't know if Tang Qian's luck was too bad today. He blocked several cars in a row, and everyone said they were not free and couldn't help him.

This is really funny!

I'm a living person, but I can't move an inch when I come to Los Angeles?
And soon, God told Tang Qian with cruel facts that this was really the case.

It was dusk, and Tang Qian still couldn't find a way to get to his destination.

I don't know how long he walked, but Tang Qian, who was physically and mentally exhausted, suddenly heard a crisp guitar sound, and he dragged his feet slowly, following the music, and walked over.

The guitar sound is irregular and incomplete, as if the person who played it deliberately made it.

"Oh~no~ no, no, this feeling is not right, this is not what I want."

On a small turf, a young woman's voice suddenly reached Tang Qian's ears.

Tang Qian didn't bother the woman, but just put down his travel bag, sat slowly aside, and listened quietly.

After playing alone for a few minutes, the young woman suddenly spoke softly:

When I wake up in the morning, I know it.

Now I know something I didn't know before.

18 hours.

Your emerald eyes and bright smile have been in my mind, which makes me feel.

Now I just want to know you better.

........................

I found out yesterday and everything has changed.

"Clap clap clap clap."

A burst of applause woke up the young woman who had been bowing her head and moaning softly. She looked in Tang Qian's direction and said vigilantly, "Who are you? Are you following me?"

following you?
Tang Qian looked at the young woman and said, "No, I'm just attracted by your music."

"Really?" The young woman still seemed uneasy. She turned her head to look around like a ghost, and found that there was indeed no one before she said, "Thank you for your compliment. It's me who can be recognized by strangers." The pleasure of music."

"Hehe, I'm just a layman, so I can't talk about being honored or not."

The two sat side by side like this. After an awkward silence, the young woman spoke first: "Look at you, are you Korean or Japanese?"

Tang Qian frowned and said, "I'm Chinese."

"Oh? Chinese? I'm sorry, sorry, you Chinese don't seem to like being mistaken." The young woman said.

"Well." Tang Qian replied simply, he didn't seem to want to explain more about this kind of thing.

Seeing Tang Qian's unenthusiastic expression, the young woman became a little curious and asked, "Did you just come from China? Judging by your attire, you should have just got off the plane."

"No, I'm from Lithuania." Tang Qian said lightly.

"Lithuania? Then why did you come to the United States? To travel?" the young woman asked.

"No, I'm here to find a job." Tang Qian obviously didn't want to mention this matter.

"So did you find a job?"

"Well, sort of, but I lost my contact information, and I couldn't find the way there for a while."

"Then where are you going?"

"Toyota Sports Center."

"Toyota Sports Center?" The woman was taken aback for a while, obviously she didn't have much impression of this place, but soon, she thought of a way.She took out her mobile phone, fiddled with it a few times, and in an instant a smile bloomed on her face: "It turned out to be the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, this place is okay, not far from Los Angeles Airport Well."

"Do you know how to get there?" Tang Qian said with a smile on his face.

"I don't know, but you can use road navigation." The young woman said.

"Do you have a car?" Tang Qian quickly realized and asked anxiously.

"Of course, it would be a disaster if you don't rent a car in this part of the United States." The young woman spread her hands exaggeratedly.

"Car? I want to have one too, but I'm too young to pass the driver's license test in China." Tang Qian felt better when he heard that the young woman had a car, and replied casually.

"Oh, mygod! You are not yet an adult, are you?" The young woman covered her mouth in surprise.

"Well, I won't be eighteen until NO.11 is next month." Tang Qian replied.

"By the way, since you have a car, can you drive me there? I can pay you."

"Aha? You want me to be your driver?" The young woman said in surprise.

"What's the matter? Are you inconvenient?"

"No, not for that reason."

"Then it's over? You send me there, and I'll pay you a hundred dollars, no, how about two hundred dollars?" Tang Qian looked at the young woman with some trepidation and said, because he didn't know the price he was asking. , is not reasonable.

"Haha, two hundred dollars is not enough, you have to pay me five hundred dollars." The young woman deliberately "molested" Tang Qian.

"What? Five hundred? You are darker than that guy just now! Three hundred dollars, no more!" Tang Qian said with his eyes widened. He really didn't expect a girl who looked "gentle and gentle" to actually The asking price is so dark.

"Okay, okay, three hundred dollars is three hundred dollars, you know, if someone finds out about your price, they will definitely go crazy with jealousy."

A driver who charges $[-] is someone else's envy?Unless the heads of the American people are kicked by donkeys, it's almost the same!
Tang Qian secretly slandered, but he didn't show it on the surface, otherwise, if the woman in front of him became "angry", he might not be able to make it to the Toyota Sports Center today.

Alas, being a stranger in a foreign land, bear with it.

The young woman put away the guitar on her body, then walked up to Tang Qian and said, "Let's go, Chinese boy."

"Well, I hope you don't take a detour, otherwise I won't pay a penny more for the good price." After Tang Qian finished speaking, he also stood up and said.

"Detour? I said, do you know who I am... eh? You, you are so tall, are you over seven feet?" The young woman just wanted to refute Tang Qian, but after Tang Qian stood up , her attention was immediately attracted by Tang Qian's height.

"Well, let's go, I'm in a hurry." Tang Qian replied perfunctorily.

"Who is taller, you or Yao Ming? Are you Chinese all this tall?" The young woman continued to open her mouth and asked while leading the way.

"Yao Minggao." In order to reach the destination as quickly as possible, Tang Qian could only deal with it casually.

Along the way, this American woman didn't know what kind of madness she had, but she talked endlessly. The more she listened, the more Tang Qian had a headache, and the more she listened, the worse her headache became.

"Hey, big man, are you a basketball player?" She finally said something that interested Tang Qian.

"um, yes."

"Then you came to the United States for the draft? Are you going to enter the NBA?"

"No, it's not like that, I just went to NBDL for trial training."

"NBDL? What's that?"

"A sub-league affiliated with the NBA."

"Oh, I only know the NBA, I thought you came to the NBA to participate in the draft."

"Nba? I think so too, but now my ability has not yet reached the level to enter it."

"Haha..." Seeing that the conversation was a bit awkward, the young woman deliberately changed the subject and said, "Do you usually like to listen to music?"

"Fortunately, except for Japanese and Korean music, I listen to some." Tang Qian replied.

"Then is there any song you want to hear?"

"It's okay, just let it go, I can do it."

The young woman glanced at Tang Qian. For some reason, she secretly took out a CD from the bottom and put it in the car player.The soothing music immediately reverberated in the car.

The young woman said after a few minutes: "How about it, what do you think of this song?"

"It's not bad, it's not bad."

Tang Qian's words almost made her vomit blood, but it further convinced her that the Chinese in front of her really didn't know her.

Some are relieved.

And a little bit lost.

"Hey, big man, how long will you stay in the United States?" the young woman asked.

"I don't know. It may be a long time, or it may not be long." Tang Qian said.

"Are you afraid that you won't pass the trial training?"

"Well, maybe, I don't know."

Tang Qian simply ended the topic.

It was dull again, except for the sound of CD music in the whole car, there was no movement at all.

Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa……

Outside the car window, at an unknown time, it suddenly began to rain.

"Have you ever been confused?" Tang Qian opened his mouth suddenly.

This was the first time Tang Qian took the initiative to talk after getting in the car.

"Confused? What do you mean?" The young woman turned her head and asked.

"I ask you, what would you do if you had a favorite thing and it might be hard to keep going?"

She frowned and looked at Tang Qian. Although the other party's spoken language had an "Oriental" taste, she still heard a trace of nervousness and fear in it.

Logically speaking, it is almost impossible for two strangers who have never met to discuss this kind of issue, but when Tang Qian asked, she didn't feel a little strange, as if the two had known each other for a long time.

She thought about it for a while, and then slowly said: "My favorite thing is music. If it is difficult to continue...I should continue."

"why?"

"Why? Because you like it best. Is there any reason to be stronger than this?"

"But... I sometimes fear some of the effects it will have on me... and these effects are things I've never thought of before..."

"Big man, have you ever heard a story?"

"story?"

"There once lived a little boy in the forest. He was very envious of the magic and wings of the elves, so he made a wish, if only he could have magic and wings. One day, his wish came true, and he found He finally had the magic and wings of the elf, so he wanted to go out to share with his friends with full of hope. But in the end, he found that his friends were afraid of him, and even feared him, and everyone hid away when they saw him Far away, slowly, he began to be isolated, and people didn't want to see him again. The little boy was very sad, and he asked the elves, why did people treat him like this? The elves said, as long as you give up the magic and wings , everything will return to normal. The little boy listened to the elf and finally gave up his magic and wings. Gradually, those friends came back again, and people no longer alienated him." The young woman stopped here Huatou.

"What does this story mean? Does it mean that humans don't like 'heresy' things?" Tang Qian thought for a while and said.

"Haha, your thinking is really 'dark'." The young woman shook her head and said, "This story says that if you want to get something, you have to bear the corresponding risk. For example, I like music, so the accompanying Everything, whether it is good or bad, I have to accept it. Because I choose to like it, then I must accept everything that comes with it. This is the price of "like". "

There was another silent silence. Tang Qian opened his mouth after a while and said, "Yeah, since I like it, I have the responsibility to bear it whether it is good or bad. Otherwise... that is not an insult Does it exist in my heart?"

"Thank you. Although you look young, you are more mature and brave than me." Tang Qian looked at her and said sincerely.

"Big man, my mother told me this truth. How can I think so thoroughly on my own! Huh? Wait?" The young woman seemed to have noticed something, and suddenly changed the subject, saying: "What do you mean I see?" Looks very young? I am already very young, okay? I am only 21 years old this year!!!”

"Okay, okay, then I was wrong. I invite you to dinner another day to express my apologies." Tang Qian, who had a clear heart, also smiled.

"Hey, big man, I didn't expect you to look handsome when you smile."

"You're not bad, you're pretty."

"Hey, hey, what do you mean by being pretty? I'm a big beauty, okay? Believe it or not, if I take a picture of you, there will be countless people driving over to kill you tomorrow?"

"You are so confident, who do you think you are? Emma Watson?"

"Do you Chinese only know Emma Watson? Don't you know anyone else except her?"

"Of course I know other people, but these 'other people' certainly don't include you."

"you!!!"

In this rainy Los Angeles, Tang Qian met a woman who would play an important role in his life in the future.

she is...

PS：小紫在这里说一下洛杉矶的计程车收费规则，最低收费2.85美元（1/9英里），0.30美元每1/9英里（每英里2.70美元），每等候37秒0.30美元（每小时29.19美元），从洛杉矶机场到洛杉矶市中心固定收费46.50美元，从洛杉矶机场启程的额外收费2.50美元，从洛杉矶机场启程的最低收费15.00美元（但不包括上面2.50美元的额外收费）。而且洛杉矶基本看不到中国的这种一招手就停下的计程车，他们大部分都需要打电话预约。

Hehe, thank you for your comments in the book review area. Xiaozi has read them one by one. Thank you for your valuable opinions. Xiaozi will seriously summarize them!There is also the end of the transitional chapter, and the upgrade of Tang Qian's fighting monsters will start next... Oh no, I was wrong, Tang Qian is fighting alone in the United States!The plot is slowly unfolding, everyone come to collect and sell tickets! ! !
(End of this chapter)